George Worgan

“ Form is a difficult thing to describe, but Nature will be the truest guide; for the student can see, at a glance, if the petals be placed on regularly, as is the case in a Dahlia, or according to taste, as in the Rose.
The texture is imitated by modeling with the pin; making the edges soft and fine with the pressure of the head or point. The rules for making the stems are simple. For a small flower, take the finest wire; for medium-sized flowers, the larger size; and for large ones, the largest-sized wire. ”

“ Copy the character of the flower. Should you find that it looks stiff or awkward, take the petals off and put them on in a different manner.
Be sure you adopt not the vulgar error of making the Roses too full-blown, as they lose their beauty after the cup-like appearance is gone.
The buds are exceedingly beautiful of the Tea Rose. This is perhaps the most difficult of all flowers to imitate, as great taste is required in the arrangement of the petals. French people excel all the world in making artificial Roses, because this element of taste is national. ”

“ Most of the flowers I have seen made in wax I will not call imitations of nature, but stiff, awkward, badly tinted things, devoid of beauty, verisimilitude, or taste. Nothing looks so unlike a natural flower; and these faults can be easily avoided by a little observation of nature.
The first rule I would lay down is to examine the natural flower. Take the pattern of the petals, count the number in the flower, and mark it on the pattern; observe the same rule as regards the calyx and stamens ”

“ I would recommend those who wish to learn the art to apply to some respectable teacher, of name and standing in her profession, and to avoid those people who are not professional—a large class, I am sorry to say, who pretend to teach when they are the parties who require instruction. ”

“ One of the most important rules to be observed is to double the wire over at the top twice or thrice to make a kind of knot to secure the foundation to the stem, which should be molded in the shape of the heart of the flower. In modeling rose-buds, the foundation must be made very large, and in the shape of the flower, so that the petals may fit closely round.
Where stamens form the centre of the flower, they must be placed on the wire, and a very small portion of wax put at the base to secure them to it. ”

“ Get a small band of light green wax; roll it round the back of the petals to form a cup; press the centre of each petal into this with a small curling-pin; then gradually draw the stem through into it, so as to give the hollow appearance seen in nature.
This requires great care, lest you draw the wire out of the foundation. The least motion must be used.
After the flower is formed, take the small bristle brush; use the mauve color and white, (which will make the most delicate lilac;) color the edge of the petals, leaving the centre white ”

“ Cut the petals out of thin white wax, curl them as you would the Tea Rose, then take a brush and color with carmine; place them on the foundation and then add the calyx.
Damask, purple, and bright lake-colored Roses are all made in the same way. A very beautiful color for a rich purple Rose is made by the violet carmine bloom prepared by me. This can be used dry and the petals curled after they are colored. Never rub pure carmine with the dry color, as it becomes dingy by friction. Carmine must be always used as a wet color. ”

“ The back of the flower will be rather larger than in the natural flower; but, as the flowers are placed close together, it will not be observed. The reason of its being made larger is, that the petals could not be pressed on to a smaller foundation, so as to fix them securely.
About fifteen or twenty blossoms, with buds made of small pieces of solid white wax, colored purple, will make a very effective and pleasing group. The leaves are made of a dull shade of green wax pressed on the plaster mold. ”

“ Certainly not from Paris, where flowers are one of the necessaries of life; nor London, where they are used more in garden or hothouse decorations than agrémens for the drawing-room. The true artist will not degrade art by following "the fashion." ”

“ For making the ragged edge, so often seen in nature, take the point of the pin and press the edge of the petal, rubbing it till it becomes very thin. The best practice for attaining proficiency in curling the petals properly is, to take small pieces of wax, and round them with the bead or head of the pin, afterward thinning the edge with the point. ”

“ I prefer in all cases to make the stamens of thread, though it requires much longer time; but in art time is but a secondary consideration, truthfulness being the only aim of the student.
There are two ways of using the color, one by taking the bristle brush, dipping the end of the stick in water and dropping it on the pallet, putting a small portion of the color on the brush, then passing it gently over the surface of the wax petals ”

“ All transparent looking flowers must be colored with the wet color, by passing the brush over the petals commencing at the top, letting the pressure on the brush deepen the shade toward the centre of the petal. ”

“ The Author trusts that he has conveyed the information to the reader in the most simple manner, his object being to make it a book of instruction rather than a mere work of words, whose tendency is rather to perplex than aid. ”

“ Dickinson sole Agent for the sale of his book and materials for wax flowers for Brooklyn, feeling confident that his reputation for taste and care in supplying every thing requisite for the study of the art, so essential for the pupil, will be a guarantee that he could not have placed the agency in better hands. ”

“ He trusts that his artistic ability has merited it. He thinks that his introduction of many new methods of overcoming the difficulties in this beautiful art have at least saved them some trouble, and assisted them in attaining greater perfection in their studies. ”

“ The principal difficulty in making this flower is the patience required in cutting and fixing the blossoms. Practice and attention to these rules will enable the student to attain to perfection. There are few flowers more highly prized than the mignonnette ”